Mystery Men
Mystery Men is a 1999 American superhero comedy film directed by Kinka Usher and written by Neil Cuthbert and Bob Burden, loosely based on Burden's Flaming Carrot Comics, and starring Hank Azaria, Claire Forlani, Janeane Garofalo, Eddie Izzard, Greg Kinnear, William H. Macy, Kel Mitchell, Lena Olin, Paul Reubens, Geoffrey Rush, Ben Stiller, Wes Studi, and Tom Waits. The film details the story of a team of lesser superheroes with unimpressive powers who are required to save the day. Plot In Champion City, would-be superhero team of Mr. Furious, the Shoveler, and the Blue Raja attempt to make a name for themselves, but their suspect skills make them ineffective, and they find themselves upstaged by the city's most successful superhero, Captain Amazing. However, Amazing is finding that his effectiveness at fighting crime has practically made his job obsolete, and without any worthy adversaries remaining (most are either dead, in exile, or in jail), his corporate sponsors are beginning to pull their funding. To create a need for himself, Amazing uses his alter ego, billionaire lawyer Lance Hunt, to argue for the release of supervillain Casanova Frankenstein. The plan backfires; once reunited with Tony P and his Disco Boys, Casanova Frankenstein blows up the insane asylum, captures Amazing, and prepares to unleash the "Psycho-frakulator", which lethally bends reality. Mr. Furious, while spying on Casanova Frankenstein's mansion, discovers Amazing's capture and informs the others. After an unsuccessful rescue attempt, the three realize that they need more allies, and through word-of-mouth and try-outs, they recruit Invisible Boy, the Spleen, and the Bowler. The newly formed team "assaults" Casanova, which only succeeds in annoying him and damaging his car. While drunk from celebrating their victory, the team is nearly killed in retaliation by Tony P and the Disco Boys, but they are saved at the last minute by the Sphinx. The Sphinx trains them, but his methods annoy Mr. Furious – he has them complete rote team-building exercises and speaks exclusively in Antimetabole. They also seek out Doc Heller, who specializes in non-lethal weaponry, to equip them for their battle. The group breaks into Casanova's mansion during a gathering of several of the city's gangs; but, while attempting to free Captain Amazing, they inadvertently set off the Psycho-frakulator, killing him instead. Without Amazing, the team despairs of saving the city, but the Shoveler delivers a pep-talk that succeeds in uniting and inspiring them. With new-found purpose, they assault the mansion and, by making effective use of their negligible superpowers and Heller's weapons, manage to subdue most of Casanova Frankenstein's henchmen. As the heroes approach Casanova Frankenstein, he reveals that he is holding Mr. Furious' girlfriend Monica hostage, and activates the Psycho-frakulator, which begins to wreak havoc upon the city. While the team tries to stop the device, Mr. Furious takes on Casanova Frankenstein. After initially taking a beating, Mr. Furious unleashes his inner rage and manages to fight effectively for the first time. He defeats Casanova Frankenstein, who is thrown into the core of the Psycho-frakulator and killed by its reality-bending powers. The rest of the team helps The Bowler use her bowling ball to destroy the device and escape the mansion as it implodes. The team is interviewed by reporters, begging to know their team name. As they argue among themselves, one reporter states "Well, whatever you may call them, Champion City will forever owe a debt of gratitude to these 'Mystery Men'," but the others are too busy arguing to hear it. Cast * Ben Stiller as Roy / Mr. Furious * William H. Macy as Eddy / The Shoveler * Hank Azaria as Jeff / The Blue Raja * Janeane Garofalo as Carol / The Bowler * Paul Reubens as The Spleen * Kel Mitchell as Invisible Boy * Wes Studi as The Sphinx * Geoffrey Rush as Casanova Frankenstein * Eddie Izzard as Tony P. * Prakazrel Michel as Tony C. * Lena Olin as Dr. Anabel Leek * Greg Kinnear as Lance Hunt / Captain Amazing * Claire Forlani as Monica * Tom Waits as Dr. A. Heller * Ricky Jay as Victor Weems (Captain Amazing's publicist) * Artie Lange as Red Gallery Trivia Category:1999